YOU KNOW there is something seriously wrong with the priorities in the country’s education system when we have only 100 agricultural science graduates – compared with 120 in acupuncture – in one year. If this wasn’t so serious it would be a joke. 

TO ACHIEVE our goal of doubling exports by 2025 we need to ensure industry has the right people with the right skills. Already there are 350,000 people in New Zealand employed in the primary sector. By 2025 there will be closer to 400,000. 

POLICY WORK on the $150m extension to the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) announced just before the election is now being carried out, says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

FARMING IS becoming ‘sexy’ again for young people overseas, but New Zealand has not caught up with this trend yet, says Southland dairy farmer Michael Horgan.

THE COUNTRY’S second-largest dairy company Westland has cut its payout for the coming season and it’s expected Fonterra will make a similar call this month.

FEDERATED FARMERS is undergoing a ‘strategy refresh’, as revealed to Rural News by president William Rolleston at the national council meeting in Wellington last month. It involves discussions with all provincial presidents, assisted by a management consultant. 

FONTERRA CHIEF executive Theo Spierings says more work is needed to improve its traceability credentials.

TRYING TO determine how primary producers can achieve the Government’s goal of doubling New Zealand’s exports by 2025 was the focus of a meeting of the agribusiness ‘boot camp’ group in Wellington last week.  The meeting was attended by the chairs and senior managers representing 80% of New Zealand’s primary exports.

GREG MUIR chief executive of Tru-Test, agrees the biggest challenge to the primary sector is attracting the right people. 

IT’S A great year for sheep and beef – bull beef in particular – according to a farm consultant in the Rotorua region, Peter Livingston from AgFirst.